1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved apparatus for filling a washer fluid reservoir of a motor vehicle.
2. Discussion
Modern motor vehicles are typically equipped with a single or a pair of windshield wiper assemblies. It is known to employ a window wiper assembly for cleaning rear windows of motor vehicles. For example, most utility vehicles, station wagons, minivans and the like incorporate a steeply sloped rear window equipped with a window wiper assembly. The rear windows of such vehicles are typically associated with a pivotally mounted liftgate or tailgate. Conventionally, these types of rear window wiper assemblies include a wiper blade operatively associated with the rear window and a fluid reservoir for supplying fluid for cleaning the rear window.
When the windshield wiper assembly is intended for cleaning the vehicle windshield, a fluid reservoir bottle is positioned under the hood and easily accessible for convenient refilling. Where the window wiper assembly is intended to clean a rear window of the vehicle, packaging considerations are significantly different. In this regard, the types of vehicles which typically employ rear wiper assemblies (e.g., utility vehicles, station wagons, minivans and the like) do not include trunks which would provide a convenient location for a washer fluid reservoir. It is known to remotely locate the washer fluid reservoir within a rear cargo area of the vehicle. While such arrangements have proven to alleviate certain packaging difficulties and operational inconveniences, they all remain associated with disadvantages. Primarily insofar as the present invention is concerned, prior known arrangements do not adequately ventilate the washer fluid reservoir upon refilling. In this regard, many known systems undesirably displace air from the washer fluid reservoir into the vehicle upon refilling. Additionally, known arrangements are time consuming and messy to fill since air displaced from the washer fluid reservoir is typically required to exit the same opening into which washer fluid is being introduced.